Windhoek: The Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, Indileni Daniel, has underscored the potential of the tourism sector to create substantial job opportunities for Namibia's youth. Daniel emphasized the sector's capacity to influence a range of industries, such as agriculture, transport, retail, and information technology, thereby creating a ripple effect across the economy.
According to Namibia Press Agency, during a session of the National Assembly, Daniel responded to inquiries from Independent Patriots for Change MP Rodrick Liwela Likando concerning youth empowerment and job creation within the tourism sector. She stressed the need for a comprehensive government strategy to prepare the youth for market demands, highlighting that both the ministry and the Namibia Tourism Board (NTB) have initiated active skills development programs.
Daniel noted that these programs focus on entrepreneurship, financial management, and tourism product development, with 129 small and medium enterprises receiving training in the current financial year. She further stated that graduate programs should align with enhancing employment opportunities for the youth. Initiatives that facilitate access to arable land for agri-tourism and agro-tourism are vital in strengthening agro-based value chains and supporting youth employment.
The minister pointed out that increasing youth participation in the tourism sector is among the eight strategic interventions in the new National Tourism Spatial Master Plan. She highlighted the need for accurate and reliable data to support these interventions, which is currently lacking, particularly concerning employment statistics in the tourism sector. To address this, the ministry plans to conduct essential industry surveys, including a tourism employment survey.
Daniel mentioned that the responsibility for developing national statistics, including employment data, is with the Namibia Statistics Agency. The National Spatial Tourism Master Plan, as described by Daniel, aims to establish a Tourism Transformation Fund to equip youth with necessary skills and promote youth tourism enterprises across Namibia's 14 regions.
The plan also seeks to ensure that youth in rural areas benefit through various tourism activities, including hunting, photographic, cultural, gastronomy, and agri-tourism. Strategic interventions outlined in the plan focus on revitalizing tourism, investing in infrastructure, promoting domestic tourism, and supporting community-based tourism enterprises.
Daniel reported that in the financial year 2025/26, 99 SMEs, 60% of which are youth-owned, received support to engage in selected trade fairs and exhibitions regionally and internationally. This exposure provided them with opportunities for business development and networking.